Automatic film-exposure apparatus.



A. G. DONNELLY.

AUTOMATIC FILM EXPOSURE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.'7,1914.

Patented June 2, 1914.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

invenlar CZ/excu? d6)" 6'. Donna/y B &M CIZZ r/ay E A. G. DONNELLY.AUTOMATIC FILM EXPOSURE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED M11191; 7

Patented June-2, 1914.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' :A. G. DONNEL LY- AUTOMATIC FILM EXPOSURE APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILEDPEB.7,1914,

A. G. DONNBLLY.

Y AUTOMATIC FILM EXPOSURE APPARATUS.

APPLIOATIONIILED FEB.7,1914

. m 2H MM HT .7. Ju n m l w E a w l M I E I I I! I m m L H I -W I. I! TA. G. DONNELLY. AUTOMATIC FILM EXPOSURE APPARATUS.

- Patnted June 2,1914.

'1 sums-$115M 5.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.7, 1-914.

-A. G. DONNELLY.

AUTOMATIC FILM EXPOSURE APPARATUS,

APPLICATION FILED FBB.7,191 4.

Patented June 2, 1914.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 7 "UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

ALEXANDER G. DONNELLY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR 'I-O QUASA-PICCOMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC FILM-EXPOSURE;-APPARATUS.

oses-7i.

T oaZZ- 107mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, JXLEXANDER G. Don- NELLY, a citizen of the UnltedStates, residing in- New York city, in the county of New York and StateofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in posuresper unit of time and the .linear speed of the films, and their safetyand durability.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating themovements of thefilm and reel-carrier; Fig. 2 is a general plan with thereel-carrier removed, and Fig.

"3a side elevation. The remaining figures,

except Fig. 10, are sections, Figs. 4-, 5 and 9 axialor parallel withFig. 3 and the others transverse. Figs. 5, 9, 10 and 11 are full size.Fig. 4 is on the planes -A of FigsfQ and 6, and partly in elevation. Fig.5 is full size, through the optical tube, on plane 5 5 of Figs. 2, 6,10 and 11. Fig. 6 is at the feed plane, on the plane 66 of Figs. 2' to5. Fig. 7 is at the plane,7-7 of Figs. 2, 3 and 4s, and illustrates thereel-carrier and reelfeed. Fig. .8 is. at the horizontal plane 88 ofFig. 7. Fig. 9 illustrates the film-feed, the plane 9-9 of Figs. 2 and 6and 10, Fig. 10 is a transverse elevation of the expo-sure orifice andshutters, at the plane-10'10 of Figs. 2 wt, and Fig. 11 is a horizontalsec tional plan on the plane I111 of Figs. 3, 5 and 10.

In general terms my invention constitutes a film exposure apparatuscharacterized by positive, differential reel-feed motions adapted tounwind the film from the supply and rewind it upon the receiver reel atconstant linear speed properly timed to the exposures and the exposuresprocket, so that the pull on the film is reduced to a negligibleminimum by substantially right-line film-approach to the exposureorifice, said approach line being practically unvarying on location andtangent to the wound film upon the supply reel; by accomplishing theabove results with continuously-engaged toothed gearings: and by theinterpolation, in the gear trains, of releasing engagements or clutches,which permit reels to be mount- Patented June 2, 1914.

Application filed February 7, 1914". Serial No. 817,113.

ed and dismounted and films to be properly.

positioned, adjusted, and given the proper tension Witlt very greatfacility in the minimumtim'e.

I provide a'table-like stand whose cast iron finished top forms the bedplate 1 of the apparatus and may have an offset end to support the lampbox 2. The optical tube consists 1n three parts, viz ;-the condensertube Q attached to the box 2, the terminal l formed in a main frame 1mounted on the bed 'platel; and water-jacketed intermediate tube 2",provided with nozzles, 2, to

whichwater supply and eduction tubes can be" attached, fonwatercirculation, to cool the tube and preserve the films from injury byheat. I i

Mounted on the main frame 1, coaxial withthe optical tube 2 1P, is aprojector 2 of known type, with the usual adjustments. On the main frame1 and on an axis parallel with and, as the drawings read,

to the rear of the optical axis, I mount an f electric motor M providedwith the usual accessories and adapted to be put in a power circuit; anda primary transmission shaft 31, which is flexibly coupled to the motorshaftM" by a coupling m which compensates misal'inement and insuressmooth running and .which comprises metal disks m fixed to each of saidshafts; a leather disk on fastened to each of said metal disks; and aset of pins m fast in each of said 'metal disks and extending intosockets formed/in the a leather disk, m fast to the opposil temetal.

disk. v I

The reel mechanism 4 has the axes off-its motions transverse to theoptical axis, and comprises a rocking reel-carrier ll which is a beam atwhose ends the supply reel'R and receiver reel r are revolubly mounted;a differential reel feed 4* adapted to simultaneously rotate the reelsat such angular speeds, substantially inversely proportional to theradii of the film-spirals in the act of being unwound from and woundupon them that the unwinding and winding will be nearly linearly equaland cause no strain in the film, or merely enough to lay 'the'filmsmoothly; and a compensating shifting mechanism 4 adapted to rock thereel carrier 41 in such manner as to maintain substantial taugencybetween the outer filmspiral on the supply reel and the film-feed Iplane extending across the mouth of the op tical tube 1; and to shiftthe friction rollers of the reel feed in such manner as to cause them tounwind and wind the film at substantially' the same linear speed.

Above the optical tube, to opposite sides ofthe feed plane, I revolublymount a pair of guide rollers 5 to make sure that the film f approachesthe optical axis in a right line; and'below said tube I mount acomparatively widely spaced pair of guide rollers 5", 5 tangent to thefeed plane, and intermediately between them, but to the opposite side ofthe film, the filmpositioning intermittently rotated sprocket 5, whoseteeth engage marginal holes in the film and accurately position itduring exposures, in the usual manner.

The film, east from the supply reel R into the feed plane as aforesaid,descends between the upper guide rollers 5", through the slot at,'andacross the mouth of the optical tube, bends around the near guide roller5 the sprocket 5 and the lower roller 5 and thence passes to and iswound smoothly upon the receiving reel 7*. A transmission 3, connectsthe moving members with the motor M and times their motions. s

Transmission and sprocket drivc.The primary transmission shaft 31extends c0- axiai with the motor shaft M, from the coupling m, throughtwo grease boxes, 1 and 1", and ball bearings 1 in their cheeks; and

suitable elastic washers 1%, or glands, which retam the grease.

drive the reel feed 4 and rocking mechanism 4 I provide, in the box 1 atransverse shaft 34 and a worm gearing comprising a worm 3 and wormwheel 3 respectively fixed to the shafts 31 and 34. To drive thesprocket 5, I provide a gearing comprising-a transverse shaft 35 and, inthe box 1 an intermittently actinggearing 3 adapted to alternatelyrotate theshaft 35 and sprocket 5 through a determined fraction of aturn, to feed the film to an exposure and during the remainder, whichconstitutes the exposure-period, to arrest and hold them absolutelystationary, said gearing 3 comprising, fixed to the primary shaft 31, acam or, more properly, a drunken or variable-pitch worm 3 whose threadhas a medial circumferential or no pitch sector 3 measuringsubstantially three-fifths of a circle and, merging easily thereinto,quick-pitch terminals, 3; fixed to the shaft 35, a worm wheel, 3 whoseteeth are preferably conical rollers, 3; and a sprocket shaft 50, whichmounts the sprocket 5 and is connected with the worm-wheel shaft 35 bylike preferably twin spiral gears 3. The latter shaft is introduced tofacilitate construction; and the sprocket might The boxes are respee--tively closed by suitable caps, 1 and 1. To.

be mounted on the shaft 35. During the engagement with the no-pitchsector 3 of the thread, the primary shaft 31 revolves idly and thedriven members and film are held stationary; bu'twhen the quick-pitchengagement succeeds there, said members are rotated through the feedsector of motion and film-feed occurs. The graduation of the screwthread is such that the driven members are accelerated and retardedwithout shock. Obviously, one turn of the primary shaft rotates saiddriven members one tooth-angle and, as illustrated, five turns of theprimary make one turn of the driven members. To enable me to adjust thefilm pictures positively to the exposure axis, I introduce, between thesprocket 5 and the gearing 3, a manually-operable release engagementclutch 51, which might be a frictional or positive clutch of a knowntype, but which I prefer to make as illustrated, in order to assurepositive action and smooth running. I therefore provide an extension 52of the shaft 50, revoluble co-axial therewith in ball bearings 15 in theframe 1 and to said extension I spline the sprocket 5, which is'axiallylocated by the ball bearings. On the adjacent ends of the shafts 5Oand-52, I form clutch members, 53, preferably complementary radialteeth; and encircle said shaft ends with a collar, 54. On the outer endof the extension shaft 52 I form a spheroidal head 55 with a knurlededge by which the said shaft and the sprocket 5 can be turned; betweensaid head and a collar 56, thrust against or part of the small race ofthe adjacent ball-bearing 15, 1 strain a releasing spring 57 andtransversely in line with the shaft, on main-frame brackets 1 I pivot aspherical faced cam 58, which when its handle,'59, is upturned, asillustrated, thrusts in the shaft 52, compresses the spring 57 andengages the teeth 53 and the two shafts 50, 52. lVhen the handle 59 isswung out, the spring 57 draws out the shaft 52 and releases it, thesprocket 5 and the film from the transmission 3 and motor M, for manualadjustment.

Red mechanism, 4.-The reel carrier 41 is pivoted on the-shaft 34 whoserear end has a bearing in a pillow frame 1", which is fast to the bedplate 1. To suitably mount the reels R and r, I provide, at the ends ofthe carrier 41, pintles 42 and frictional reel-clamps 43, eachcomprising a driving disk 44 formed with a peripheral, backturned flangeand a central tubular stump on which the reel is shipped and whichcontains a roller bearing 45 by which it is slidably mounted on a pintle42; a discoidal face clamp 46; and means for clamping the reel betweenthe discoidal members 44 and 46, illustrated as comprising a nutengaging the threaded end of the pintle, a thrust im m reel in the clamp43 and presses latters 1 friction disk 44 against the friction wheel 4.

The shifting mechanism 4 comprises a reducing'train 4 which may be ofanyknown type and is illustrated as a spur Wheel train beginning withapinion 4 on the shaft 34, connecting it with and terminating in a pinion.4 1 on a cut shaft whose sections 4, 4 anetconnected by aclutch 4 andwhich are mounted Q1 bearings provided in extensigns lFofthe main frame;a wheel seg ment, 4, pivotally mounted on the main frame, forconvenience, .on the shaft 50; a link '4" connecting the segment withthe carrier 41.,;;and a link 4 connecting an arm 4 of the segment withthereel-feed 4.

The, clutch 4 comprises suitablylined frictional members 4, respectivelyfast to the shaft sections'4 4 and a spring 4 which normally engagesthem The clutchenables the reel carrier 41 and reel 4 feed to beadjusted and moved from one limit ,to the other of their motions withoutoperating the gear train 4". 'When reels are changed, or at any othertime,the clutch4 may be disengaged by separating its friction members,the pinion 4 'revolved, the segment'4 and reel carrier 41 rocked and thefriction rolls 4 of the reel feed correspondingly shifted. The reel feed4 best shown in Figs. 4, 7 and 8, comprises a shaft 4 revoluble butaxially fixed in bearings 49 on the carrier 41 and geared to the shaft34 by bevel gears 4, co acting withthe friction disk 44 of eachreel-clamp 43, a friction wheel 4 splined to the shaft 4 having a rubbertire 4 in contact with the friction disk 44, and axiall located by theengagement of its hubwiti the cheeks of a slide 4, slida'ble on guides401, lengthwise of the carrier 41, the two slides being connected withone another by a coupling 4 and with the shift mechanism, 4,specificallydvith its segment 4, by the link 4 i v I provide an improvedshears-type shuttcr 6, comprising a pair of shear blades 61 mediallypivoted on the mainframe between the primary shaft, 31, and theexposure; opening, (terminating adjacent to the latter in flat bladesformed with concave exposure edges 62 and at their opposite ends incamrollers 63;a spring 64 which tends to close the shutter; and a pairof oppositely-acting cams 65, fixed to the primary shaft 31, whoserotation alternately opens theshutter and permits it to be closed by thespring 64. The concave exposure edges 62 of the shutter blades initiateand terminate exposures on the optical axis, dilate or contract itsymmetrically and prevent wedge-shaped exposures, which would not bepleasing.

The operation of my exposure apparatus is follows: The supply reel R ismounted in mer'across'the exposure opening of the optical tube, aroundvthe guide rollers and sprocket 5, and suitably connected with thereceiver reel; the'fil m picture is adjusted to the optical'axis bydisengaging the sprocketclutch 51 and suitably rotating the sprocket 5;and the tension on the film, the location of the carrier 41 and reels,and the friction Wheels 4Fof the reel feed, are adjusted by disengagingthe shift clutch 4 and rotating the segment 4 and pinion 4". Exposure isbegun by starting the motor M, each of whose revolutions .is a cycleandcauses the shutter 6Ito close and open; the. sprocket 5 to makeone-fifth of a revolution (which occupies substantially-two-fifthsof'the cycle) and thereby change the film-picture; the reel feed shaft 4and friction wheels 4 to turn through a determined angle androtate thereel-clamps 43 and reels through de termined distances; and the shiftsegment 4 to rock through a small angle, rock the carrier 41 and slidethe friction wheels 4 The scopeand differential nature of crank-and-linkmotion enable me so to locate the crank pins which connect the segment 4With-the links 4" and 4 and the carrier 41 and friction wheels 4 thattheconsequent rocking of the carrier will maintain substantial tangencybetween the film-feed plane and the outer spiral on the supply reel R;and the translation of the friction wheels 4 from and toward the axes ofthe reels (or vice-versa) will cause substantially (but not exactly)equali linear speeds of film-unwinding and winding. In actual practiceit is not necessary, or desirable, that the two shouldbe'exactlylinearly equal. What is desirable is, to keep the film tautbetweent-he sprocket 5tand the receiver reel 1 in order that the filmmay be wound smoothly; to avoid the formation of the troublesome anddangerous loop which all known exposure machines cause between thesupply reel and the exposure axis; and at the same time to-slack thefilm on the supply reel so that it will un- 1 windtherefrom withoutbeing strained. My apparatus, and more especially the combination of theshift mechanism 4 and reel feed 4* accomplishes this result with as nearan approach to perfection as practice necessitates. The traverse ofthe'friction rollers from the initial to the final position (shownrespectively in full and dotted lines, Fig. 1)

coincides substantially with the winding of the film upon the receiverreel '1 and slightly leads its unwinding from the supply reel R,

so that the film 'is kept taut between the sprocket 5 and the receiverreel, but is. loosened in, prior to being cast from the sup ply reel.Those accustomed to the design of crank-and-link apparatus-will knowthat the desired results can be approximated with any required nicety.Should it be desired to suspend an unfinished film exposure and rewindthe film upon the supply reel, the motor M and the apparatus can bereversed.

Having thus described my, invention, 1 claim:

ll A film-exposure apparatus comprising a frame and operably mountedthereon transmission mechanism operable by power and, operably connectedwith said transmission, a movable carrier adapted to oper'ably mount asupply film-reel, means to operably mount a receiver film-reel, shiftmechanism adapted to shift said carrier, reel-feed mechanism.

.tof rotate film-reels mounted as aforesaid and a sprocket wheel andsprocket mechanism adapted to alternately advance and position films forexposures.

3. A film-exposure-apparatus comprising a frame and mounted thereontransmission mechanism operable by power and, operably connected withsaid transmission mechanism, a movable carrier adapted to operably mountsupply and receiver filnrreels, shiftmechanism adapted to shift saidreel-carrier, reel-feed mechanism adapted to rotate filmreels mounted onsaid carrier, and a sprocket wheel and sprocket mechanism adapted toalternately advance and position films for exposures.

4. A film-exposure apparatus comprising a frame and mounted thereontransmission mechanism operable by power and, operably connected withsaid transmission mecha' nism, a movable carrier-adapted to operablymount supply and receiver film-reels, compensating shift mechanismadapted to shift said reel carrier and maintain substantial tangencybetween the outer film spiral of the supply reel thereon and thefilm-approach plane of the apparatus, differential reel fced mechanismadapted to rotate the supply and receiver film-reels mounted on thecarrier at differential speeds, and a sprocket wheel and nism, amedially-pivoted, oscillatingcarrier adapted to operably mount a supplyfilmreel, means to operably mount a receiver film-reel, shift mechanismadapted to shift said carrier, reel-feed mechanism adapted to rotatefilm-reels mounted as aforesaid, and a sprocket wheel and sprocketmechanism adapted to alternately advance and position films forexposures.

6. A film-exposure apparatus comprising a frame and mounted thereontransmission mechanism operable by power and, operably connected withsaid transmission mechanism, a medially-pivoted, oscillating carrieradapted to operably mount a supply filmreel, means to operably mount areceiver film'reel, compensating shift mechanism adapted to shift saidcarrier and maintain substantial tangency between the outer film spiralof the supply reel thereon and the film-approach plane of the apparatus,differential reel-feed mechanism adapted to rotat-e film-reels mountedas aforesaid at differential speeds, and a sprocket wheel and sprocketmechanism adapted to alternately advance and. position films forexposures.

7. A film-exposure apparatus comprising a frame and mounted thereontransmission mechanism operable by power and, operably connected withsaid transmission mechanism, a medially-pivoted oscillating carrieradapted to operably mount, supply and receive film-reels to oppositesides of its pivot, shift mechanism adapted to oscillate said carrier,recl-feed mechanism adapted to rotate filmreels mounted on said carrier,and a sprocket wheel and sprocket mechanism adapted to alternatelyadvance and position films for exposures.

8. A film-exposure apparatus comprising a frame and mounted thereontransmission mechanism operable by power and, operablyconnected withsaid transmission mechanism, a medially-pivoted oscillating carrieradapted to operably mount supply and receiver film-reels to oppositesides of its pivot, compensating shift mechanism adapted to oscillatesaid carrier and maintain substantial tangency between the outerfilmspiral of the supply-reel thereon'and the film-approach plane,differential reel-feed mechanism adapted to rotate the supply andreceiver film-reels mounted on the carrier at differential speeds and asprocket wheel and sprocket mechanism adapted to alternately advance andposition films for exposures.

9. In a film-exposure apparatus comprising a frame, a movable carrieradapted to operably mount a supply film reel, means to operably mount areceiver film-reel, and a sprocket wheel adapted to engage and positionfilms, the combination therewith of shift mechanism adapted to shiftsaid carriage, reel-feed mechanism adapted to rotate film-reels mountedas aforesaid, a transmission shaft operable by power, a variablespeedworm gearing operably connecting said shaft and sprocket, and a wormgearing opcrably connecting said shaft with said shift mechanism andreel-feed. f

10. In film-exposure apparatus, an oscillating carrier adapted torevolubly mount a film-reel holder, a filmreel holder revoluble on saidcarrier, a shaft revoluble in hearings on said carrier, a friction wheelthereon adapted to rotate said holder and radially shiftable relativelytoa reel therein, and means to rock said carrier and rotate said shaft.

11. In film-exposure apparatus, a frame; and mounted thereon a primaryshaft operable by power and an intermediate shaft geared thereto; anoscillating carrier pivoted on said intermediate shaft; revolublymounted on said carrier a fihn-reel holder, and a feed shaft geared tosaid intermediate shaft; on said feedshaft a friction wheel coactingwith, and radially adjustable relatively to a film-reel in said reelholder; and gearing o erably connected with said primary shaft andadapted to oscillate said carrier and shift said friction wheel.

12. In film-exposure apparatus, a frame; and mountedlthereon a primaryshaft operable by power and an intermediate shaft geared thereto; anoscillating carrier pivoted on said intermediate shaft; revolublymounted on said carrler a 11lm-reel holder,

and a feed shaft geared'to said intermediate shaft; on said feed shaft afriction wheelcoacting with, and radially adjustable rela tively to afilm-reel in said reel holder; and

gearing operably connecting said interme.

diate shaft with said carrier and friction wheel and adapted to rocksaid carrier and shift said Wheel.

13. In film-exposure apparatus, a frame; and mounted thereon a primaryshaft operable by power and an intermediate shaft geared thereto; anoscillating carrier pivoted on said intermediate shaft; revolublymounted on said carrier a film-reel holder,

wlieelsegment pivoted on said'frame, a gear train connecting saidintermediate shaft with said segment, and links connecting said segmentwith said carrier and friction wheel.

ll. In film-exposure apparatus, a frame; and mounted thereon a primaryshaft oper able by power and an intermediate shaft geared thereto; anoscillating carrier p1v-,

oted on said intermediate shaft; revolubly mounted on said carrier afilm-reel holder, and a feed shaft geared to said intermediate shaft; onsaid feed shaft a friction wheel coacting with, and radially adjustablerelatively to a film-reel in said reel holder; gearing adapted tooscillate said carrier and shift said friction wheel andcomprising awheel segment pivoted on said frame, a gear train connected with saidintermediate shaft and terminating in a pinion meshing with saidsegment, a clutch connected with said pinion and adapted to engage itwith and release it'from said train, and links conmeeting said segmentwith said carrier and frictionwheel.

15.,In film-exposure apparatus. comprising transmission mechanismoperable by power, and film-positioning sprocket appa- ,ratus, thecombination therewith of a revolubly mounted reel clam adapted to hold'reels and comprisin a fiictional disk and a clamp plate, a reel-feedmechanism operably connected with said transmission mechanism andterminating in a friction drive wheel adapted to coact with saidfrictional disk, a spring adapted to'close said reel clamp and press itssaid friction disk against said friction wheel, and an abutment for saidspring.

ALEXANDER G. DONNELLY. lVitnesses JOHN MORRIS, H. D. PENNEY.

